


The Other

by Miss_Snazzy



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer, Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Angst, Book: New Moon, Crossover, F/M, Kidnapping, Torture, Vampire Diaries: Season 2
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-11
Updated: 2013-02-06
Packaged: 2017-11-25 02:10:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/633997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Snazzy/pseuds/Miss_Snazzy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone knows they need the doppleganger to break the curse, but what if there was another?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

He was gone in a matter of seconds and I knew he wouldn't be back. Yet, this understanding did nothing to stall my pursuit, which had been rendered more of an aimless wandering as darkness enveloped the forest.

The brief flash of lightning became my sole source of light and despite the realization that the situation was utterly hopeless, I just couldn't stop.

I pressed forward until I could no longer, falling to my knees in a mixture of physical and emotional exhaustion. The light rain had grown to a steady pour and had quickly soaked through my light clothing, allowing the cold to spread over my skin.

I could barely breathe as sobs finally choked their way up my throat, my mouth stuttering open to release my anguish in horrible cries.

Without him, there was _nothing_.

My heart gave a jolt at the sudden sound of rustling in some nearby trees and I had one dangerously hopeful thought that it was _him_.

Before I could do little more than shift slightly toward the movement, my world crumbled for the second time that night.

Standing among the trees was a middle-aged man I didn't recognize, but the way he was staring down at me was unsettling, as if he could see _everything_ and it meant nothing to him.

I didn't try to back away as he approached because regardless of whoever this man was, I couldn't imagine anything worse than what had transpired earlier that night.

I made two mistakes that night.

The first was following Edward into the forest.

The second was allowing that strange man to touch me.

...

"Don't you think this is a little cruel?"

"Luka, we must do whatever it takes. You know that."

"But couldn't we make her a little more...comfortable?"

The voices slowly filtered in as I gained consciousness. A groan of pain tried to escape, but I kept it in, unsure if I wanted these people to know I was awake just yet. Despite the ache of my body, I remained still.

"We owe her nothing," one of the voices spoke seriously.

"I know, but she's _human_. She isn't one of them—" another voice, younger than the first, argued before he was cut off.

"She might as well be," the older male voice said coldly.

"What do you mean?" the younger voice asked.

"She's awake."

A silence fell as a new voice spoke and I tensed, realizing that it was time to face whoever had taken me. Blinking at the sudden light, I squinted around at my surroundings. The room was small and consisted of four stone walls, complete with a cement floor. Florescent lights cast a lifeless glow and filled the silence with its humming.

It took another moment to realize that my right wrist was chained to the wall behind me, the metal just shy of cutting into my skin.

Standing off to the side, near the door, were three men. Two of them—most likely the owners of the voices I had listened to initially—were dressed casually and their similar dark skin and eyes suggested they were related.

The third man stood apart from them and unlike their faded jeans and worn jackets, he was dressed immaculately in an obviously expensive suit. Apart from his light skin, everything about this man was dark—from his hair and his eyes to his very stare.

A stare which he directed stoically at me.

"Where am I?" I rasped, unnerved by his gaze but unable to look away.

"Where you are is of no consequence," he replied simply. "However, _who_ you are is another matter entirely."

"It is her," the older man answered the indirect question. "I'm sure of it."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, bewildered. "I'm nobody."

"Assuming Jonas is correct, I would beg to differ, Isabella."

"How do you know my name?" I could feel my heart begin to race. "Who are you?"

"I am Elijah. This is Jonas and his son Luka. They will be your caretakers for the duration of your stay."

I was surprised he had answered my questions so easily, but I knew that despite the polite conversation, I was far from safety. There was no telling what these people were planning.

"What do you want with me?"

I didn't even bother asking them to let me go. The manner in which they had taken me and the area I was now being contained made it obvious that my escape wouldn't be that easy.

"We want you alive and safe, Miss Swan," he smiled.

"Why? What do you want from me?" I asked, confused as to what they could possibly need me for.

He neglected to answer me this time and I realized that to him, the conversation was over.

"You will carry out everything as previously instructed?" Elijah questioned Jonas, although he continued to stare at me.

"Yes."

"Very well. We shall see each other soon, Miss Swan," he directed at me before exiting out of the sole door.

"Why am I here? What do you want from me?" I repeated the question to the remaining occupants, hoping that one of them might answer me with Elijah gone.

I didn't know any of these men, but from the way they spoke to each other, it seemed that Elijah was the leader, followed by Jonas.

Once again, my question went unanswered and I began to panic as they too backed toward the door.

"Wait! You can't just leave me here!" I pleaded desperately.

The younger one who had been silent since Elijah showed up—Luka—seemed to want to say something, but a look from his father stopped him. Instead, he looked back at me with pity.

"I'm sorry."

"No! _Please!_ " I cried out as the door closed behind them.

A swift turn of a lock and the sliding of metal were my only answer, before their steps faded.

I yanked on my chains uselessly as the panic began to build. I had no idea where I was. These people I had never met seemed to know everything about me.

How long had I been here? Had anyone realized I was missing? Would they be able to find me?

The last thing I remembered before waking up here was being in the forest and—

That last thought brought my breathing to halt.

Edward had left me and he wasn't coming back. He was done _pretending_.

This realization finally broke the strange calm I had adopted during the entire conversation with my captors, allowing the painful sobs to escape.

Edward was gone. The Cullens were gone.

There was no one left to come looking for me—at least, no one with the kind of resources that would make a difference.

I was trapped down here, wherever here is and there was a good chance I would die in this small, cold room.

I was alone.

...


	2. Chapter 2

The sound of locks being turned roused me from sleep and I quickly sat up as the door opened. I had no idea what to expect from these people and despite the fact that there was really nothing I could do if they _did_ choose to do something, I wanted to be on my guard.

The younger man, who I realized was really no older than me now that the shock of waking up in a strange place had worn off, slowly entered the room.

He had a small duffle bag slung over his shoulder and a tray gripped in his hands. Although the appearance of food did make my stomach ache, I was wary about trusting him enough to actually eat. Still, I supposed that there was little I could do and if they really wanted to kill me, they wouldn't have gone through the trouble of kidnapping me.

"I brought you some food and clothes," he explained needlessly, placing the tray within my reach before dropping the duffle bag beside it.

I stared at the bowl of broth and the sandwich, but made no move to grab it.

"I figured your stomach might be upset after spending two days unconscious," he laughed uneasily, obviously uncomfortable with the situation.

"Two days?" I mumbled, noticing Luka smile at the sound of my voice, as if getting me to talk had been some major feat.

"Yeah, my dad sure packs a punch, huh?" he joked, although I wasn't sure what he found funny about whatever Jonas had done.

"What did he do to me?" I asked seriously.

"I don't think I'm supposed to say," he admitted guiltily.

"Why not? What could I possibly do if you told me?" I asked, shaking my chained wrist for emphasis.

He was quiet for a moment and I found myself wondering what his role was in this. Was he just following his father's orders, or did he agree with what Jonas and Elijah were doing? Did he actually feel remorse for having helped kidnap a teenage girl, or was he more bothered that he had to be involved?

"He cast a spell."

Luka glanced back at the door, obviously worried about someone overhearing us.

"A spell?" I asked incredulously.

Of all the reasons I had expected him to say, witchcraft was not among them. He nodded at me, although his gaze was still directed at the door. I knew that I wasn't a threat to him, but it annoyed me that he was confident enough to keep his back turned for so long.

"Like a witch?" I prompted, only half-serious.

I needed to regain his attention if I was going to get any information out of him. Regardless of how hopeless the situation might seem, there was still a _chance_ and the more I knew, the better it would be. Not to mention that it gave me a goal to keep my mind preoccupied. I doubted there would be any good books hidden in that bag. I didn't even have a _bathroom_.

I dreaded the moment I would have to go. The chains kept me too close to the wall and I would have to relieve myself _very_ close-by.

I was surprised by the serious look on his face as he finally turned back toward me.

"Yes."

I waited for a laugh or a smile—anything. After a few seconds of silence in which his expression didn't change, I realized he wasn't joking.

"How—"

"Luka."

The conversation stalled as Jonas made his presence known—that simple utterance of Luka's name serving as an order more than a greeting.

"Coming." Luka hurriedly pushed the supplies closer to me before leaving the room.

Jonas remained for a moment, staring at me in silence. I got the feeling that he really disliked me—at least, more than the others—although I didn't really know why. It was an odd thing to notice about a kidnapper but between Luka's guilty stares and Elijah's polite attitude, it became obvious.

I waited until I was once again locked in before opening the bag. There was a change of clothes like Luka had mentioned, although I was surprised to see that they had obviously belonged to a girl who had worn them well. I began to wonder who else was waiting outside this room and if they knew I was here.

I still didn't have any answers as to _why_ I was here, but I now knew how they had managed to take me—sort of.

Witchcraft.

I almost wanted to laugh at the idea, but despite the very real possibility of my captors being psychologically ill, I couldn't.

After everything I had seen while dating a vampire—I tried to quell the pain that thought brought—how could I scoff at the idea of witches?

For a brief moment, I had wondered if vampires were involved, but quickly dismissed that idea upon seeing my captors. While Elijah was attractive and his skin could be considered fair, he was nowhere near as pale as a vampire.

Besides, a vampire wouldn't have bothered to chain me up in some basement.

No, despite how odd the notion seemed, I had been kidnapped by witches.

I didn't know why I was here, but I knew they needed me for something. Although the situation looked very bleak locked away in this cold room, I knew that until they used me for whatever they were planning, I would be kept alive.

That thought, which should have been comforting, only made my stomach churn.

When they finally got what they needed out of me, there would probably be no reason to keep me alive.

I stared at the soup for a beat longer before shifting back toward the wall to curl into a fetal position. The constricting position and the cold wall pressed up against my back provided a familiarity that helped lull me to sleep.

...


	3. Chapter 3

I glared down at the empty bowl in annoyance. Eventually, my hunger had surpassed my stubbornness and I had gulped down the cold soup in seconds. Unfortunately, now I had to use the bathroom _really_ badly.

I didn't want to relieve myself in this room, knowing I would be forced to live with the smell that would eventually morph into a terrible stench. I had no idea how long I would be stuck down here and I knew it was only a matter of time before I gave in, but I would be damned if I didn't hold it in for as long as possible.

As it was, I had managed to stand up—only slightly hunched over from the pull of the chain—and I had been doing what Renee used to call my 'pee dance' as I tried to hold it in. I was becoming desperate, almost to the point of tears.

I kept thinking about a book I had read when I was younger— _Just Ella_ —and how after being locked in a dungeon by her so-called love, she was forced to defecate in a hole in the floor.

I didn't have a _hole_ , though and I couldn't help but envy the girl in that respect.

I jumped when the door opened, having been too lost in my jittery wobbling to notice it being unlocked.

I wasn't surprised to see Luka, as I expected he would probably be the one to deal with me. Elijah didn't seem like the type of man to babysit and Jonas was less than cordial around me. Perhaps they thought I would identify better with Luka because he was roughly my age? I didn't know.

At this point, I would've been happy to see anyone.

He was staring at me strangely and actually seemed hesitant to come any closer.

"Are you—" Luka began, but I quickly cut him off.

"I _really_ have to pee," I blurted out.

He chuckled a bit, but managed to hold it in after I sent him a glare.

"This isn't funny. I haven't gone in three days—at least, I'm assuming three days, since I really have no sense of time down here—and if I don't go soon, I'm going to explode," I babbled, far too gone to feel embarrassed.

Luka glanced around the room in surprise, as if just noticing the lack of a toilet in the room. I resisted the urge to scream as he looked uncertainly back at me.

"Is there a bathroom I can use or something? Unless you want me to go in here..." I asked, gesturing around the room.

Luka grimaced and I let myself hope.

"I don't know..." he replied slowly, shooting a quick look over his shoulder at the door behind him.

" _Please_ ," I begged, allowing the desperation to fill my voice.

He sighed in defeat and I resisted the urge to vocalize my triumph as he jogged back over to the door. Peeking his head out, he looked left and right before returning.

I held my wrist up, eager for him to remove the clasp. The metal had been digging into my skin, leaving angry red marks. Luka took the offered appendage, but didn't release me.

I glanced up from his hands to find him staring seriously back at me.

"I'm going to take you to the bathroom and then you're coming right back here. Don't bother trying anything because it won't work."

I nodded quickly, willing to agree to just about anything if it meant getting to use a bathroom.

"Remember that comment I made? About my dad packing a punch?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Well, so do I."

I gulped at the subtle threat and nodded once more, subdued this time at the reminder. Although the actual memory of the kidnapping was still hazy, I did remember the pain before I must've passed out.

I watched him remove the key from his coat pocket and unlock the shackle around my wrist. Before I could soothe the marks it had left, his hand quickly took its place. He grabbed my other hand and added it to his first. I wanted to roll my eyes at the precaution he was taking because I had to go so badly that escaping was the last thing on my mind.

I let him lead me out of the door, squinting at the sudden switch from that bright florescent light to the dim lighting that filled the hallway. Despite my preoccupation with my bladder, I did try to memorize my surroundings.

If I ever did manage to make it out, I would need to know the way and who knew when I would get another chance?

We climbed a set of stairs that led to another hallway, but with better lighting. I had thought my quarters were harsh, but the rest of the house wasn't really any warmer. This was obviously more of a place of storage than a house of residence. If it had ever been a home to a family, it must've been long ago.

The sight of the front door made adrenaline pump in my veins, my body readying itself to make the dash. Luka must've noticed my reaction because his grip tightened and I begrudgingly allowed myself to be led away from what was so far my only way of escape.

Another hallway—almost identical to the first—finally revealed the door to the bathroom. Luka reached in to turn on the light and I waited for him to release me. When he began to enter the bathroom, I panicked.

Was he going to _watch_ me?

I couldn't restrain my sigh of relief as he finally released me, having only entered the bathroom to ensure there wasn't any way for me to escape.

"I'll be right outside, so don't take too long," he warned, before closing the door.

After he shut the door, I wasted no time in finally relieving myself. Now that the pain of a full bladder was gone, I found that I was able to focus .

My eyes darted around the bathroom, searching for some way out. There was only one window and it was far too tiny to fit through. Still, I stood atop the toilet, hoping the view outside could tell me something about my whereabouts.

I sighed at the forest I found, realizing it was unrealistic to expect that I would find some sort of sign marking the location. Regardless, I enjoyed the scene, feeling as if it had been forever since I had last seen anything outside that cold room.

Although I often couldn't tell the difference between some of the forests in Forks, I knew I hadn't seen this one before.

Luka had mentioned that I was unconscious for two days, but that didn't give me too much to go on.

Did the trip actually take two days, or was it much shorter? How long was I lying in that room before I woke up?

I couldn't know for sure, but I at least now knew that wherever I was, it couldn't be more than two days away from Forks.

I assumed we had travelled by car, since they weren't—if their clothes were anything to go on—wealthy enough to afford their own private airplane.

Elijah _did_ seem to have the resources to fund such a trip, but I decided to disregard that because of the way he had spoke of me when we met. It was clear that he hadn't seen me before that moment.

A knock on the door shook me from my thoughts and I once again surveyed the room.

There was a distinct lack of personal touches, leaving little to work with. Realizing that Luka might barge in at any moment, I flushed the toilet and turned on the sink's faucet.

While washing my hands, I finally found something. It would be a long shot and it wasn't the best plan, but it was all I had.

Hiding the air freshener behind my back, I opened the door and offered Luka a grateful smile. I was pleased when he returned it, for that meant he hadn't yet caught on to what I was about to do.

I followed Luka into the hallway and as he turned to take my hands again, I quickly whipped out the air freshener and sprayed it into his eyes.

He doubled over in pain, losing his grip on my arm. I ran back down the way we came, almost crying in relief when I found the door again. I ripped it open, resisting the urge to revel in the feeling of fresh air on my skin.

I didn't know how long Luka would take to recover or whether Jonas and Elijah were close-by, so time was of the essence. As I darted across the gravel driveway to the bordering trees, I prayed that I wouldn't lose my footing.

The adrenaline pumping through my veins drowned out all other sound, making it impossible to sense if anyone was following me. The light was fading fast and somehow I knew that if I didn't make it out of this forest before dark, they would find me.

After what seemed like ages, I finally found a road. Although I was worried my captors would use it to try and find me, it was my only chance of finding help.

I continued to run along the edge, waiting for a car to drive by. Just as I was about to give up in favor of the forest—I was beginning to feel really exposed—a pair of headlights came into view.

Without regard to the possible danger, I darted into the middle of the road, trying to force the driver to stop. The car quickly started to break, swerving to park on the shoulder in order to avoid me. I sighed in relief when a woman in about her thirties stepped out.

She seemed ready to reprimand me, but I quickly cut in before she could begin her tirade.

"Please help me! I've been kidnapped!" I cried to the unsuspecting woman.

Her eyes widened, "Are you—"

" _Please! They're coming!_ " I cut her off, desperate to get away.

That seemed to spur her into action because her expression became determined and she started to jog back to her car.

"Come on!" she called back and I wasted no time in following her.

I could feel the relief and hope blossom in my chest as I slid into the passenger side. I had made it.

The woman's scream filled the car as her door was yanked open and a pale hand yanked her out of her seat. My scream joined hers when I recognized the owner to be Elijah and I practically fell out of the car in my rush to get away from him.

I watched in horror as he held her against the side of the car, her squirming protests ineffective.

"Don't hurt her!" I pleaded, knowing that if anything happened to her, it would be my fault.

Elijah didn't acknowledge me and for one horrifying moment, I thought he was going to snap her neck. Instead, he leaned closer to her, leveling his gaze with hers.

"You will not remember this. Get back in your car and drive home. Don't take this road again," he said in an authoritative voice.

The woman went limp in his grasp and repeated his words in a dazed tone. I stared in quiet shock as he released her and she reentered her car, seeming as if to be in a trance.

She drove away without so much as a backwards glance, taking my only opportunity for escape with her.

Elijah waited until she was gone to direct his gaze at me. I had expected to see fury there, but instead, I found an eerie sort of calm. Almost as if this had been nothing, not even a minor glitch in his plans. Standing here now, I couldn't help but think he might be right.

Regardless of the hopelessness of the situation, I did try to run and I almost fell back on my ass when he suddenly appeared before me.

There was only one word running through my head as I stared at him with wide eyes.

_Vampire. Vampire. Vampire._

Elijah stepped closer, but at this point, I was too petrified to move. I waited for him to sink his teeth into my neck or begin the type of torture I had endured from James, but he only looked into my eyes.

His gaze was so deep and dark, that I worried if I stared back long enough, I would fall in. I couldn't look away.

"You will accompany me back to the house without any protests. You will enter your room and never attempt to leave again."

He used the same demanding voice he had used on the woman and although I had no idea what was going on, I knew this had something to do with his vampire abilities, so I decided to play along.

"I will accompany you back to the house without any protests. I will enter my room and never attempt to leave again," I replied in the most calm and vacant voice I could muster.

I worried he would see right through the lie and was therefore surprised when he offered me the crook of his arm.

"My Lady," he prompted with a small smile.

I slowly took his arm, hoping he didn't notice my hesitation or the terrified thrumming of my heart.

...


	4. Chapter 4

No sooner than our feet had touched the gravel did the door burst open, revealing an angry Luka and a _furious_ Jonas.

I flinched at the look in Jonas's eyes, unconsciously clinging to Elijah's arm. In my peripheral vision, I noticed Elijah's eyebrows rise, no doubt finding it odd that a human would clutch so willingly to a vampire.

There was a sort of familiarity in being near a vampire, despite his less than honorable intentions. I knew vampires—even if this one obviously had a few new tricks up his sleeve. I knew what drove them and in that knowledge, there was comfort.

Jonas and Luka, however, were witches. Until yesterday, I hadn't even known they existed, let alone what they could possibly want.

"Would either of you care to explain how she managed to escape?" Elijah asked calmly, without a trace of anything but mild curiosity.

"I let her use the bathroom and she sprayed me in the eyes with this," Luka glared through red eyes, waving the can of air freshener.

Elijah's eyebrows rose even higher at my weapon of choice.

"Resourceful," he murmured.

Elijah maintained a cool exterior, but there was a subtle flicker of emotion in his gaze that suggested he was slightly impressed by my actions. Jonas noticed it too and I watched his anger at me grow.

"Why didn't you stop her with a spell?" Elijah asked, his tone once more betraying nothing but curiosity.

Jonas glanced at Luka, who during the commotion, must not have told him the full story.

"I did," Luka glared at me.

My eyes widened at that and I wondered what spells he could've cast in order to stop me. Something told me his efforts hadn't been kind and yet, I couldn't remember feeling anything but my desperation to escape.

They remained silent after that revelation, their gazes assessing, as if they only had to look at me in just the right light to find the reason.

"I trust you verified that she is not under the protection of another witch?

Jonas finally averted his gaze from me to Elijah in order to answer his question. While I didn't feel anything more than self-conscious at their staring, I thought Jonas must have been trying to do what Luka had failed to, despite my current captivity. The realization made my stomach churn.

"Yes. Apart from the Cold Ones and the wolves, no other supernatural being resides there," Jonas answered.

"The Cold Ones?" I blurted the question out in my moment of shock.

Did they know about the Cullens? Were they the reason I was here?

My chest tightened at the thought. If they had kidnapped me to annoy the Cullens, they were in for a surprise.

Wait.

"Wolves?" My eyebrows furrowed at the animal's inclusion in 'supernatural beings' until it finally clicked. "You mean, _werewolves_? _There are werewolves?_ "

Clearly not in the mood to humor my inquiries, Jonas continued as if I hadn't spoken.

"After the Cold One left, I was able to get close enough to cast the spell. The plan worked perfectly."

"Perhaps you should try a spell now?" Elijah suggested, although his tone left no room for argument.

A small smirk lifted the corner of Jonas's mouth as he leveled his gaze on me. I tried not to flinch at the anticipation of pain, despite being fairly confident that if it hadn't worked before, it wouldn't now.

I breathed a sigh of relief at Jonas's frown, glad that I was immune to whatever pain he was attempting to inflict on me.

"This time," Elijah paused, his gaze flitting to me. "Try the spell whilst maintaining physical contact."

The relief quickly dissipated as Jonas grabbed my arm and I braced myself for the pain.

No amount of preparation could have helped though, as the sheer agony screamed through my head, causing me to collapse.

"Enough," Elijah finally declared after what felt like too long a time for a mere _demonstration_.

I gasped, rolling onto my back, barely acknowledging the gravel that dug into my back.

"So it would seem that magic only affects her after establishing physical contact," Elijah deduced in a bored tone.

I wondered if anything ever broke through that stony exterior of his as I tried to recover from Jonas's onslaught.

...

"What is Elijah?" I asked, hoping that he would be willing to talk now that we were alone.

Luka continued to look through the cupboards without so much as a glance in my direction.

"Please—"

"Sharing time is over," he snapped, cutting me off.

He pressed his hand along one of the drawers, using magic to unlock it. Despite Elijah's assurance that I wouldn't try to escape, they were too cautious to leave the silverware out for me to find.

I deserved his anger, but then again, he had deserved mine. _I_ wasn't the one who kept him locked in a dungeon for days.

Did they really expect me to just stay here and embrace my fate—whatever it happens to be?

I thought Elijah might have understood, but his apathy over Jonas's torture spoke otherwise.

Even so, Elijah was merciful enough to change his restriction to never leaving the house, rather than the room. I was still being watched, but at least now I didn't have to stay in that cramped space.

Luka took little care in preparing my meal and I couldn't help being annoyed that they wouldn't let me make my own food. If they were really worried about their safety, why didn't they just get rid of the knives altogether? It wouldn't be difficult to prepare my food without them and Luka would be free to completely ignore me.

I sighed at the sloppy sandwich he slid over to me with more force than necessary. Trying to keep myself relatively clean—it had been days since I last showered and I felt disgusting—I quickly licked all of the jelly squishing out of the sides.

Suddenly ravenous, I gulped down the rest of the sandwich as quickly as I could swallow. I had eaten very little since I had arrived here and although the sandwich didn't satisfy my appetite, I was feeling marginally better.

Luka was now sitting at the table with his back to me, leaning over what I presumed to be a textbook for one of his classes. I found it odd that he could still attend school like a normal kid, despite his nightly watch of the girl he had helped kidnap.

While his attention was otherwise occupied, I decided to look around the room for something I could use.

There were old books and candles stacked on nearly every surface, but apart from that, the room was relatively empty. Since my attempted escape, Jonas had kept his eye on me. The subtle glare he wore seemed to be begging me to try something, if only to give him a reason to hurt me again.

Luka however, was not quite as vigilant. Despite his injury, he seemed determined to ignore my existence, almost like a child using the silent treatment . Although I couldn't say I had liked him before, I definitely missed his more accommodating attitude toward my imprisonment.

I knew I shouldn't feel guilty over my actions, but there was a small part of me that did. Although I recognized that the feeling was there, I knew that I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

...

The door stood only a few feet away, mocking me. It would be so easy to grab that doorknob and run. Elijah hadn't been around in days, so there was a good chance that I could actually make it.

It was difficult to simply walk passed, rejecting an opportunity to escape.

There was something wrong about the timing—I also had a feeling that Luka was hovering nearby, just waiting for me to try something.

They didn't know that Elijah's compulsion hadn't worked on me, and that was really the only advantage I had. Well, that and their inability to use spells on me without physical contact.

I had a theory as to why neither of those abilities had worked on me.

So far from what I've gathered, compulsion is all about mental perception and manipulation. Since Edward couldn't read my mind, it wasn't terribly surprising that Elijah hadn't been able to get inside my head either.

As for the witchcraft, I wasn't sure how that really worked. Despite my lack of physical injury after Jonas's spell, I didn't think it could entirely be mental. After all, if that had been the case, then why did the spell work once he was touching me? Could the physical contact have made such a difference?

Heaving a sigh, I continued on my way to the bathroom, relieved that Luka wasn't angry enough to begrudge me this. I had been surprised when he agreed to allow me access to the shower, but I didn't comment.

Apparently now that I was being compelled, I was allowed such amenities.

My hands methodically stripped me of my clothes, even as my nerves kicked in. Luka could walk in at any moment and although I didn't think he seemed like the type of guy to take advantage, I didn't really _know_.

Maybe he was.

I slid under the stream of hot water anyway, determined to scrub the days of filth off my body quickly enough to prevent unwanted company.

Yet, as my hands grew harsher, I found myself buckling under a sudden wave of sobs.

The kidnapping and my subsequent attempt at escape had kept my mind occupied, but now, in this moment of vulnerability, I began to crumble.

I cried over the circumstances, the memory of that night, and the acknowledgement that I was on my own in this.

 _They_ had left and they weren't coming back. They didn't want me and now...

There was no one left to save me.

I don't know how long I spent curled up in that shower, body heaving with the force of my cries. Although I was sure it had been quite a while, no one disturbed me.

By the end, after the water had long since ran cold and my skin had wrinkled, a hollow feeling spread through my chest along with the realization of what I would have to do.

There was no one left to save me, so I would have to save myself.

...


	5. Chapter 5

Something had happened to Elijah—that much was certain.

Not that Luka or Jonas had said as much, or really anything beyond what was necessary, but there was a subtle restlessness that hadn't been there before.

Although I didn't really know what was causing their unease, Elijah's absence and Luka's reaction to my mention of him seemed to confirm my suspicions.

If there was ever a time to contemplate escape, it was now. Without Elijah's superhuman abilities, I actually had a chance of making it out of here. Still, I knew it would be wrong to underestimate Luka or Jonas, an understanding that was as solid as my memory of Jonas's last display of his skills.

I flinched at the remembered pain, feeling a shimmer of unease crawl under my skin even as I resisted the urge to race to the door. Speed alone wouldn't be enough, as I was certain that even without Elijah's speed, they wouldn't have had trouble catching me. It was purely luck that the woman had driven by last time and I knew that they would have found me quickly had I been forced to run much longer.

With these thoughts in mind, I tried to remain calm, knowing that he would notice if I seemed poised to take off at any second.

I watched Luka prepare our meals, even as my plan began to take form. Once again, my escape would be a long shot and would almost entirely depend on luck. In fact, it wouldn't be much different than my last spontaneous attempt.

I hoped that the lack of Elijah and Jonas would be enough, as one was missing—maybe even dead—and the other probably wouldn't return for some time. I had taken to monitoring Jonas's departures and keeping track of the duration of his absences.

While Jonas was often gone for hours at a time, there were the instances in which he wasn't.

Regardless of my own worries, I knew it would have to be now. Something told me that wherever Elijah was, he wouldn't remain there for long.

Luka slid the plate in front of me and the clink of the glass on the counter yanked me from my thoughts. Despite my own preoccupation, Luka didn't seem to have noticed anything and barely shot me a glance as he took his seat at the table, returning to his studying.

This was how the days had gone by: Jonas would leave, Luka would prepare my lunch, and then he would spend the next several hours studying, pretending I didn't exist. I was grateful for his dismissal as I picked at my sandwich, waiting for him to become engrossed in his textbooks.

As my hands slid underneath the now empty plate, I contemplated what I was about to do and how unlike me it was.

I was the pathetic, defenseless human who was too weak to fight back. The girl who had no choice but to give in to the whims of others because what could she do? How do you fight _stone_?

Staring at the back of Luka's head, however, I realized that I could do this. He wasn't an indestructible vampire who could kill me in the time it would take to blink.

He was _human_. A warlock—maybe, but _still_ a human.

I was human too and I knew better than anyone about the frailty of our species.

In one swift movement, I smashed the plate over his head, taking a moment to marvel at my success as Luka fell out of his chair. The stinging in my hands from the shattered glass eventually roused me from my shock enough to bend over and check that he was unconscious.

I was cautious, despite the adrenaline now coursing its way through my veins, half-expecting him to reach out and grasp me with the intention of inflicting the white hot pain of a spell.

When I was certain that he was out, I wasted no time in digging through his pockets for a cell phone, internally rejoicing as I found it. I didn't want Luka waking up and calling his father to inform him what had happened.

My triumph was short lived as I found myself unable to use the phone, something I thought might've been the result of a spell. Still, I slid the phone into my jeans along with a carefully wrapped shard of glass, before finally giving into my urge to flee.

I ran down the driveway as quickly as I could, wishing that Luka had his own car as I cut into the trees. This would have been so much easier if there had been a car for me to steal.

I felt déjà-vu as I made a similar trek through the trees, although this time, it would get darker a lot sooner. With this in mind, I stayed close to the road, wondering if I would be lucky enough to find someone else to hitch a ride with.

My breathing grew ragged and my legs ached when nightfall came, but I didn't stop running. I had gotten much farther than the first time, but I was unsure how long it would take Luka to wake or Jonas to realize I had escaped.

My steps faltered at the sudden blare of sound coming from my pocket, so loud and shocking that I didn't notice a wayward root protruding in my path. The feeling of dirt and rocks under my already injured palms when I instinctively tried to break my fall caused me to hiss in pain, as well as the scraping of my knees.

Carefully reaching into my pocket, I slid out the phone, not surprised to see _Dad_ flashing on the outer screen. Jonas would know something was wrong now, and wouldn't waste any time in returning to that house. My time was almost up.

At the same time, a bright light began to cut through the trees, originating further down the road. Unlike last time, I didn't dare make my presence known. For all I knew, that could be Jonas on his way back and even if it wasn't, there was still the chance that the driver might not notice me.

I didn't want to go through the trouble of escaping only to be hit by a car.

The sound of the phone ringing only seemed to be getting louder and I had a moment of fear that its volume would lead them right to me. I threw the phone as far as I could from my position on the ground, waiting for the lights to fade before I continued running, lest the driver somehow notice me darting through the trees.

The trees seemed to be thinning and I breathed a silent sigh of relief when I finally found civilization.

"Mystic Falls," I read aloud from a sign as I crept from the trees.

I was struck by how magical the name sounded and how ironic it was that a vampire and a pair of witches would choose such a place as their home.

The streets were empty and quiet, the only sign of life coming from a building in the distance. The steady thrum of music and the array of parked cars around it suggested that it would be my best bet at finding help.

I slipped in the building as casually as I could, surveying what was essentially a bar. The room was filled with people drinking and laughing, enjoying the benefit of a live band. They seemed to be celebrating, but I could scarcely remember the date and didn't think there were any holidays coming up.

I stood there for a moment just within the doorway, at a loss for what I should do now that I was here. Somehow, running around claiming to have been kidnapped didn't sound like a good idea, considering that I had been abducted by supernatural beings—not your run-of-the-mill psycho.

I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to ignore the ache of my lungs as I moved into action. There had to be a phone somewhere for me to use.

Some people gave me odd looks as I walked toward the back of the bar, no doubt from my appearance. There was blood on my jeans and twigs in my hair, not to mention my hands. My hope that no one would question me was dashed as a girl stopped me.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concern evident in her voice despite our lack of acquaintance.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I spoke too quickly for my lie to have fooled her. "I just really need to use a phone."

Her gaze grew assessing and I took a deep breath in an effort to try to calm down. Somehow, her stare seemed far more probing than the others, as if she could actually see into me. I quickly shook the thought away, wondering when I had become so paranoid.

 _Probably after I was kidnapped and held prisoner in some dilapidated house_ , I thought wryly.

She nodded to herself, seeming to have decided something, before holding out her phone with a smile.

"Here. You can use mine."

"Are you sure?" I asked, even as I began to reach for the phone.

There wasn't really time for this and I knew that, but I couldn't stop myself from double-checking.

"Of course. Anyway, I'm not sure what the code is to call out of here and well...the waiter is kind of... _busy_ , if you catch my meaning," she laughed.

I smiled back despite the circumstances, thankful to have found someone who was kind enough to help a stranger.

For a moment, I wondered who to call. Although I thought it should be Charlie, I knew that he wouldn't really be able to _do_ anything. There was really only one person—one _family_ —that would be able to handle this sort of thing.

I took a deep breath and dialed the number I had used more than any other in my life. It would probably kill me to hear his voice, but despite his new disinterest in me, he had asked that I remain safe. Surely if he knew about my current predicament, he would help?

I felt my hope dwindle as an emotionless female voice informed me that the line was no longer in use.

I disconnected the call, my chest feeling strangely empty at the lengths he had gone to in order to prevent me from bothering him.

I took another breath and dialed Alice's number, knowing that even if _he_ ignored me, she never could.

Oh, how very wrong I was.

The same voice once again informed me that the line was no longer in use.

I didn't even bother trying any of the other Cullens, knowing that if those two had distanced themselves so thoroughly, I had no chance of reaching the others.

"Couldn't get through?" she asked as she reached for her phone.

I returned it without protest, the idea that I should call Charlie anyway becoming overshadowed by the knowledge that I was on my own in this. As was the case merely hours ago, I would have to do this alone, without the aid of a family of vampires.

Before I could answer, something caught her eye behind me and she mumbled a quick excuse as she headed toward it.

I turned around and found myself frozen in place as I watched her walk up to one of the men who had been keeping me prisoner.

"Where is she?" his inquiry made my eyes widen and my heart pound.

"You don't understand," the girl replied and I began to wonder if it was a coincidence that she had spoken to me.

Had she known? Was she in on it? If she had...if she was...then _why_ did she let me use her phone to call for help?

"My son is dead."

I gasped, my chest filling with guilt as my breath whooshed out.

I hadn't meant to really hurt him. I just needed to _get away_. Despite everything that had happened, I didn't think Luka was truly a bad guy. And I had _killed_ him.

"Whatever it is that you think you need to do, there is a better way," the girl spoke earnestly now.

Remembering how Jonas had reacted when I had last hurt his son made it easy to see why. The memory of the pain once again swept over me, drowning out their conversation.

Suddenly, the lights were shattering, drawing me from my memories as my panic increased.

"Where is she?" I heard him demand.

"I don't know. I haven't seen her!"

More lights shattered and although I knew I should run, I remained immobile.

"No one's getting out of here until I have her," his voice was cold and harsh and I knew he meant it.

"Don't do this. Please, don't do this," she pleaded with him.

I stepped away from the counter as glasses began to shatter, spilling liquor on the surface, before suddenly being consumed by fire.

Jonas grabbed the girl then and used magic to either kill her or knock her unconscious—I wasn't sure. All I knew was that he was here for _me_ and whatever had happened to her was my fault.

Around me, people were beginning to panic, many fleeing the building while an employee tried to smother the flames.

I knew I should be fleeing too. There were so many people that I actually had a chance of slipping by unnoticed. Yet, the knowledge that _I_ was the reason he was doing this prevented me from doing so.

"Dr. Martin!"

Another girl had called out to him, immediately gaining Jonas's attention. There was familiarity there, and an anger directed at the girl and the boy beside her that I recognized.

"Stop!" The demand slipped passed by lips unbidden.

Jonas's dark gaze instantly shifted to me, as did the girl and the boy she was clinging to. I didn't know who they were, but I couldn't just watch them get hurt because of me.

"You need me. You don't have to hurt anyone else."

The pair were obviously confused, but Jonas's expression only grew more determined. When he stepped forward, I couldn't restrain myself from faltering back, an involuntary movement I regretted as the boy's pained cries entered the air.

The girl knelt at his side, pleading for Jonas to stop.

"This won't stop. Not until I get what I came for."

Jonas surged forward, coming within an inch of grabbing me. The flames grew around us with a harsh crackle as I circled the table to avoid him. The boy was still hunched over in pain while the girl tried desperately to soothe him.

Despite whatever pain he was inflicting on the boy, Jonas's attention seemed to be focused on me. With a wave of his hand, the table flew across the room, leaving nothing between us.

I gasped as a blonde girl suddenly pounced on him, her teeth now elongated into fangs as she lunged directly for his neck.

Jonas yelled as she pierced his flesh, but little damage had been done as she fell off of him, clutching at her head.

The spell Jonas had been using on the boy seemed to be affecting her too. Her shrieks quickly earned the attention of a busboy, who rushed to her aid.

I watched Jonas reach for a beer bottle and a sudden burst of courage struck me as I slipped the shard of glass out of my pocket.

Before I knew what I was doing, I had jammed the shard into Jonas's leg, causing him to drop the bottle. The crash seemed significantly louder to my ears, despite the surrounding chaos.

Jonas howled in a combination of rage and pain, somehow managing to grab me while simultaneously removing the shard from his leg.

I screamed at the pain in my arm, feeling as if the surrounding flames were licking my flesh. As Jonas increased the pressure of his grip, I noticed another feeling underneath the agony. I began to feel unusually weary, my knees buckling at the weight of my own body. My eyelids fluttered against the onslaught, desperate to remain conscious.

I knew what would happen if I passed out now. Jonas would take me back to that room where he would no doubt torture me for my actions. The realization that I would probably die in there did nothing to aid me in my efforts to stay alert.

Suddenly, Jonas's grip was gone, leaving me to slump to the floor. The drowsiness was receding and the pain had dulled, but I could still feel a steady throb pulsing in my arm.

Across the room, a dark haired man was ripping Jonas's throat out.

...


	6. Chapter 6

The flames ceased along with Jonas's life, bringing an end to the cacophony of sounds.

I glanced around the room, noting that the blonde and the busboy had left at some point during the commotion. The boy and the girl were now standing, her arms wrapped around him. The girl who had loaned me her phone was also standing now, having awoken at some point during the chaos.

I breathed an internal sigh of relief that she had only been knocked out. Another boy I hadn't noticed before was now holding her.

Only the dark haired man and I were alone—me struggling to remain upright while he carelessly tossed Jonas's lifeless body to the floor.

"Who are you people?" I finally asked when it seemed as if no one else was going to speak.

They exchanged glances at my question, but seemed at a loss for words. After everything that had just happened, I couldn't blame them.

The girl who had called Jonas's name stepped forward. If the boy beside her was reluctant to release his grasp on her, he didn't show it.

"My name is Elena and this is my boyfriend, Stefan."

My eyes flitted to the boy beside her. He seemed perfectly fine now, apart from his obvious worry for her.

I knew the kind of pain Jonas could inflict and from his cries earlier, he had experienced quite a bit too. The fact that he was able to compose himself so quickly was more than a little unnerving. There was definitely something about him.

The girl with the long dark hair—Elena—pointed to the girl who had loaned me her phone.

"That's Bonnie and my brother, Jeremy."

"Hi," Bonnie offered a small smile.

I wasn't sure how to respond. Here we were, standing in the middle of what had practically been a warzone, and they were making introductions?

I had asked who they were, but what I really wanted to know was what their parts were in this. Had they known about what Jonas was doing? Did they even care that he had kept me locked away in that house?

More than that, I wanted to know _what_ they were. Jonas and Luka had been witches, but what about Elijah? Was I right in labeling him as a vampire?

He didn't fit the usual description, but there had to be exceptions, right? A special ability that allowed him to blend in well?

I had thought I was on the right track, but now I wasn't too sure.

The blonde had lunged for Jonas similar to how a mountain lion might pounce on its prey and she had _fangs_. She had bitten him, but he hadn't been affected by the venom. My own experience with James confirmed that. There was no way he would've remained standing and fighting like he had.

Finally, there was the dark haired man. Not only had he appeared out of nowhere, but he had _ripped_ Jonas's throat out. There was no way a mere human could do that.

Their actions screamed _vampire_ , but there were so many inconsistencies. The most significant one being their eyes. There wasn't a pair of red or gold among them, nor were any of them dark with thirst.

"We don't have time for this."

I simultaneously blinked and flinched at the dark haired man's sudden close proximity, watching as his eyes went very wide. They were an icy shade of blue that only seemed to confirm my point. No one could fake their admittedly beautiful shade with a pair of contacts.

"You will tell us everything," he ordered in a coaxing voice.

He spoke the same way Elijah had, with a calm sort of authority that bordered on dangerous. Being this close to him, I was able to notice the dilating of his pupils as he spoke. I had been under a lot of stress when Elijah had tried this on me, but I realized the shift was familiar.

"Not until you answer my questions," I shot back, secretly delighting in his shock at my resistance.

I was relieved that he hadn't been able to persuade me, grateful for whatever kept my mind safe. It was scary enough, knowing that I was essentially helpless at the hands of a vampire. At least my thoughts would always be my own. They couldn't take that away from me.

He snatched my hand from my side and I had a moment of fear that he would hurt me for my insolence. I wasn't naive enough to believe that these people were on my side just because Jonas seemed to be their enemy. From the newly acquired smirk on his face, I knew he was aware of the reason for my discomfort.

Instead of snapping my wrist as I knew he was easily capable of, he lifted my hand to his mouth. His touch wasn't cold like I had expected, nor was his skin as hard as stone. Still, I expected to feel the unforgettable burn of a vampire bite, but to my surprise, it never came.

I watched his tongue peek out of his mouth as he gave the dried blood on my hands a quick lick, making me hiss when his tongue scraped across the wound.

_Vampire._

"Damon?" someone else called, but I was too busy staring at where my blood had just disappeared to determine who.

Had he really _licked_ me?

"No vervain," he replied. "She's delicious, actually," he added as if he were discussing cuisine.

I blushed, despite everything, which only made his smirk widen.

"Vervain?" I asked curiously.

Before I got an answer, the blonde returned and cut in.

"We'd better leave before my mom shows up."

A collective sigh rang out in the room, as if this was a normal occurrence for them. For all I knew, maybe it was.

That's what worried me.

"Why don't we finish this discussion at the boarding house?" Stefan suggested.

They began moving toward the door, glancing expectantly back at me as they did.

 _Did they really expect me to just follow them?_ I wondered incredulously.

"I'm not going anywhere."

All eyes shifted to me, but I didn't falter at their attention. I was tired of decisions being made for me. Besides, I still had no idea who these people were.

The girl with the long brown hair that had identified herself as Elena, stepped forward.

"I know you must be scared, but we aren't going to hurt you."

She sounded genuine, but then, so had _they_ when they told me I was a part of their family and that they loved me. I took a deep breath.

"Look, maybe you're telling the truth. I don't know. But I just managed to get away from Jonas... and I can't just... I can't go with you," I replied honestly.

"Okay, we _really_ don't have time for this," the dark haired man reiterated, who I surmised must be Damon.

I watched him warily as he stepped closer, smirking in a cocky way. There was something so condescending about the expression that I found myself growing more annoyed than frightened.

"Here's the thing," he began, his grin almost Grinch-like as it stretched. "You can either come willingly, or I'll be forced to treat you like a _child_ and carry you. Which would you prefer?"

His voice had grown almost sickly sweet at the end and although I knew he was stronger than me, I found myself wanting to refuse. The image of the ease in which he had ripped out Jonas's throat only minutes ago made me bite my tongue.

He was entirely capable of forcing me to accompany them and if I wanted to retain any dignity, I would be better off just going along with their wishes. After all, there was a _slight_ chance that they were telling the truth and only wanted to help me.

I scoffed at the thought, knowing that my luck couldn't be _that_ good. Regardless, I knew my limits—I had been entirely too aware since I had moved to Forks—so I heaved the sigh that I knew would signal my defeat.

"Good girl," Damon smirked and I didn't even try to withhold the glare that followed.

...

The drive was relatively quiet, each of them seemingly unsure of what to say. There was someone on either side of me and I tried not to think about how easily I had allowed myself to be boxed in, or the likely possibility that once we reached this boarding house, they wouldn't let me leave.

In the end, there was really nothing I could do, no one I could call to help me out of this. I felt guilty for forgetting to call Charlie, though I didn't really know what I would've said to him had I remembered.

I couldn't very well tell him I had been kidnapped because he would have so many questions that I wouldn't be able to answer. Anything I did tell him would just make him search for answers that would inevitably put him in danger.

We pulled into the driveway of what I assumed was the boarding house, although it didn't really look _lived in_. It looked like a place that had withstood the test of time, yet still had the uncanny ability to look the same as it did when it was first built. Almost as if you could step through time and not even notice.

I followed them into the house, silently hoping that I wasn't making a terrible mistake. Although they hadn't _actually_ used violence to coerce me into accompanying them, I wasn't unaware of my predicament. I was outnumbered and even without they're super speed and strength, they could easily keep me from leaving.

More than that, I was tired. Just so damn tired that I really didn't think I had another escape attempt in me should it come to that.

The idea of giving up entirely was steadily becoming more appealing, as I tried to keep my mind distracted from the knowledge that the people I had loved like a family, had stopped caring.

Maybe I should stop caring, too.

...


	7. Chapter 7

I was led into what would probably be the equivalent of a living room, although it was far more luxurious than that. Damon headed straight for a decanter of some sort of alcohol, while the others oriented themselves on the couch. I frowned at the only remaining seat, which happened to be beside where Damon was standing.

No sooner had I sat down did the questions come pouring out. I suppose that they had finally found their voices.

"So, you know our names. What's yours?" the blonde asked. Although I still didn't know her name, I decided not to point that out.

"Bella..." I answered slowly, glancing around to see if my name was familiar to any of them.

I wasn't sure if I was relieved or not by the lack of recognition in their eyes. The fact that they didn't know my name made their involvement in my kidnapping less likely, but that also meant they might not know why I had been taken.

"How did you know Jonas?" Bonnie asked.

I sighed.

"I didn't really."

"Is that so? Because you two seemed to be _awfully_ familiar with each other," Damon interjected dryly.

I turned to glare at him.

"He kidnapped me. Drugged me or used a spell—I don't know. When I woke up, I was chained up in a basement or something. Jonas, Luka, and Elijah were there."

There was a collective gasp at this revelation. I was still unsure about their involvement, but their shock did seem genuine. I wished I had the ability to sense emotions like... _Jasper_ , if only to confirm it.

"Why?"

"Why what?" I asked, sighing.

"Why you? What's so special about you?"

"Nothing," the truth slipped out so easily that it made my chest ache. "There's nothing special about me."

"Then why you?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly, growing annoyed at his persistence.

How many times did he want me to say it?

"Damon, leave the poor girl alone. It's obvious she doesn't know," Elena chastised, casting me a sympathetic look.

I stared at my hands, not really listening as they began to bicker. Admitting that I was nothing aloud hadn't hurt quite as much as it probably should have. It was almost as if my lack of importance had been hanging over my head, just waiting to be addressed. Now that I had, I felt so...empty.

I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away. I could revisit them later, when I wasn't surrounded by so many watchful eyes. I needed to change the subject, if only for a moment.

"Where am I?" I asked suddenly, interrupting whatever conversation had been carrying on around me.

"The Salvatore Boarding House," Stefan answered helpfully. "My brother, Damon and I live here."

That was nice to know, I suppose, but I shook my head, sighing.

"No, I mean...what state?"

"You don't know?" the blonde asked in disbelief. From the looks of the others, they shared her skepticism.

I rubbed my eyes roughly, feeling drained. What part of _kidnapped_ , did they not understand?

"I was unconscious during the trip, so no. I don't know."

"You're in Mystic Falls, Virginia," Elena answered and I could see the concern in her eyes.

I looked away. I didn't want to see _that_ expression on her face. I didn't want to delude myself into thinking any of them actually _cared_.

I was surprised by her answer though. _Virginia?_ Although I had figured out that I must've been unconscious for two days, I hadn't thought I would be so far from Forks. Virginia was practically on the other side of the United States. At least, that's what I had always thought.

_Maybe I should've paid more attention in geography._

"Where are you from?" Elena asked in a gentle voice that didn't escape my notice.

As if I was _fragile_. As if I couldn't take answering that question.

"Forks," I answered automatically.

"What's Forks?"Jeremy asked, speaking for the first time.

"It's a small town in Washington."

"No wonder you're so _pale_ ," Damon chimed in, taking a generous gulp from his glass. "That town gets about one sunny day a year."

"You've been to Forks?" I asked in surprise, belatedly wondering if I should have lied.

Now that they knew where I lived, would Charlie be in danger? I figured that if Jonas had been able to find me, then my whereabouts couldn't have been that hard to find. Then again, these people didn't seem to have known about me, so who knows?

"I know _of_ it," he rolled his eyes. "Why anyone would choose to live there is beyond me."

Although I agreed with him to an extent, I chose not to comment. He was beginning to annoy me with his cocky attitude.

"So...you don't know why I was taken?" I asked everyone quietly, defeated.

"No, I'm sorry. We don't," Stefan replied sympathetically.

I stared at him as he spoke, glancing over his features. He was paler than Elena, but nowhere near that of the Cullens. His hair, although not styled in disarray, coupled with the serious look on his face reminded me of a particular member of that family.

I swallowed the pain that comparison brought and quickly averted my gaze.

"What are you?" I finally asked the question that had been on my mind since Jonas's death.

They were quiet for far too long to be considered comfortable, before Stefan spoke.

"What do you mean?" he laughed uneasily.

My fists clenched at the sound, as I was reminded of another time someone had tried this. Did they think I was stupid?

_They_ hadn't fooled me last time and these people certainly wouldn't now. Not after everything I had been through. I unconsciously scratched at my scar, which was hidden beneath the old long-sleeved shirt Luka had given me.

The thought of Luka's death made my anger disappear.

_Had I really killed him?_

I shook the thought away. For now.

"Well, I watched her try to bite Jonas," I pointed to the blonde. "And he...ripped Jonas's throat out," I directed at Damon, who lifted an eyebrow in return.

I heard Jeremy snicker, while the rest seemed to be silently debating who would answer me.

"They're vampires," Bonnie finally replied, leaning toward me. "Stefan, Damon, and Caroline. I'm a witch."

My eyes widened at that and I unintentionally scooted away from her. Was she like Jonas and Luka?

"They won't hurt you...none of us will," Elena was quick to assure me. "In fact, Stefan and Caroline only drink animal blood."

I nodded, but still kept a wary eye on Bonnie. Although she had helped me when I first walked into that bar, I hadn't forgotten her interaction with Jonas and now that I knew what she was, I was definitely suspicious.

Something Elena said finally caught my attention.

"What about him?" I asked, tilting my head toward Damon.

"Mmm. No bunnies for me," Damon smirked in reply.

His gaze lacked any guilt for his diet and I wondered how I could have missed the customary red eyes he should have been sporting.

"Y-You—but your eyes! All of your eyes!"

I looked at each of them, once again noting the distinct lack of red or gold. When my gaze returned to Damon, I leaned closer to see if I could make out whether he was wearing contacts. As I realized earlier, the shade of blue couldn't be artificial—wouldn't the combination of red and blue make his eyes purple?

"You aren't wearing contacts..." I pointed out slowly.

Elena's eyebrows furrowed. "Why would they—"

"Bella," Stefan cut her off.

I glanced at him, suddenly worried that I had said too much. I could see the suspicion in his eyes.

"Yes?" I swallowed when he made no move to continue.

"Have you...met vampires before?" he asked evenly.

My eyes widened and my heartbeat picked up, even as I willed it to remain silent. We both knew he wasn't talking about Elijah.

"I—What?" I stuttered, swallowing.

I began to fidget under his watchful gaze, nervously tucking my hair behind my ear. His eyes narrowed on my arm and my heartbeat picked up as I realized my mistake. While I was wearing a long sleeved shirt, the garment was a tad big on me, so when I reached for my ear, the sleeve had slid down my arm to pool at my elbow, thereby exposing James's bite mark.

I was so focused on Stefan that I didn't notice Damon moving, until his hand had shot out to grasp my wrist.

"What is this?" he demanded, although his tone sounded more incredulous than anything.

I glanced quickly at the mark on my arm before squinting my eyes shut at the memory of how I had gotten it.

"A scar," I answered shakily.

"Obviously," Damon replied, rolling his eyes. "But _how_ did you get it?"

I answered his question with the story I was given, despite knowing how futile lying became when I couldn't manage to keep my heartbeat in check.

"You're lying," Stefan noticed.

"I-I'm not. The glass—" I tried, but was interrupted when a pale hand grabbed me.

All I registered was a flash of color and a whoosh of air before finding myself pinned against the wall.

"What are you?" Damon demanded, pressing his arm into my throat.

"Human," I choked out.

I clawed at his arm, trying to alleviate the pressure, but he was too strong. He pushed harder in response.

"You may look like a human, be weak like a human, and—" he paused, leaning in to skim his nose along my neck, "— _smell_ like a human, but we both know you aren't."

I shook my head as furiously as I could in his grasp, barely able to breathe.

" _Please_ ," I gasped as my eyelids grew heavy.

He stared deep into my eyes for a moment, intent on finding whatever he was looking for. His lips curved up in a smirk when he finally replied.

"Well since you asked so nicely..."

He suddenly released his grip on me and without his support, I slid to the ground.

"Damon! What's wrong with you?" Elena demanded, crouching beside me as I gasped for air.

I took a deep breath, trying gather more into my lungs.

"Like you were complaining," Damon pointed out, rolling his eyes.

I shrugged her hands off, angry at Damon, but also mildly annoyed at the rest of them for doing nothing.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," Elena apologized. "Nothing like that will happen again. _I promise._ You really are safe here," she reassured me.

_That's what you said before._

"Sure," I replied sarcastically. "That one," I pointed to Damon, "was just choking me. So forgive me if I don't believe you."

Elena frowned as I shrugged off her help, walking shakily back to my seat. It was true that I had heard a few protests amidst Damon's attack, but they had just been _words_. None of them had done anything to help me and I now knew that I wouldn't be able to trust them when it counted.

Damon was pacing, while almost everyone else was staring at me, obviously confused about what had just transpired. Damon and Stefan were the only ones who seemed to at least somewhat understand the significance of my scar.

Elena looked between Stefan, Damon, and I, before finally asking the question that was probably on everyone else's minds.

"I don't understand. It's just a scar—"

"No," Damon cut her off. "It isn't. _That_ is an impossible scar."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked curiously.

"It's the bite of a vampire," Stefan answered quietly.

I stiffened at the confirmation, becoming increasingly tense as everyone looked closely at me.

"But... Damon used to bite Caroline all the time. What's so special about this one?" Jeremy asked.

I glanced at the blonde in surprise—who I assumed was Caroline by the way everyone was looking at her now—trying to see if I could make out any scars like mine.

"Don't look at me," Caroline spoke, "I don't have any scars like that."

"That's because Bella was bitten by a different vampire," Stefan continued to explain in that same quiet tone.

"So, what? Every vampire has their own bite? Like a thumbprint?"

"Yes, but that's not quite what I meant. Bella was bitten by a different _kind_ of vampire." Stefan's stare had grown more probing.

"A different kind? There are different kinds?" Caroline asked incredulously.

"A Cold One," Damon finally spoke, halting his pacing. "Bella was bitten by a Cold One."

"What does that mean?" Elena asked.

"It means..." Damon paused, leveling me with his gaze. "It means that Bella should be dead."

...


	8. Chapter 8

"When a Cold One bites a human, their venom begins to spread. The need to feed becomes impossible to resist."

"Venom?" Jeremy snickered.

"Yes. It's supposed to be incredibly painful for the human. Like—"

"Like being burned alive," I interrupted quietly.

They grew silent then, no longer finding the idea of vampire venom funny.

"Yes..." Stefan stared at me, even as he continued to explain to the others. "But the point is that even if they did somehow manage to stop, their venom would continue to spread...turning their would-be victim into a vampire."

Elena's brows furrowed as she began to comprehend just what Stefan was saying.

"So then Bella..."

"Shouldn't be human," Bonnie finished, her gaze shifting from curiosity to assessing.

The concentration on her face unnerved me and I couldn't stop myself from fidgeting. I didn't know what she was doing at first, but as her expression became more frustrated, I shied away even more. She reminded me of Jonas—staring at me like that.

"Nothing?" Damon's question captured my attention, but he was looking at Bonnie.

"No..." Bonnie trailed off, clearly shocked. "Nothing's happening. I don't understand..."

"What are you guys talking about?" Elena asked, glancing between Bonnie and Damon. The others seemed just as confused. I was more worried about staying away from Bonnie.

Elena's eyes widened and I felt like I was missing something.

"But I thought Jonas took—"

Stefan shushed her quickly and I became even more suspicious. What were they trying to keep from me?

"So you see the problem," Damon began, changing the subject. "Bella shouldn't be human. No one has ever survived a Cold One's bite, not without turning into one themselves."

He sauntered closer and I tried not to flinch away from his stare.

"So how did you survive?"

I looked down at my scar, staring intently at the marred skin. I wondered how much I should tell them. They already knew I had been bitten and survived. Telling them how wouldn't really put _them_ in danger. My reasons for keeping quiet dwindled down to one simple fact—I didn't want to talk about it.

I didn't know these people and they had no right to demand my life's story, even if they had saved me from Jonas's clutches. Still, the rational side of me thought I was just being stubborn. It didn't matter if they knew the truth and it would probably make everything easier if I just came clean. More than that, I was just too tired to argue.

"The venom was...sucked out."

I breathed a sigh of relief, despite the heavy silence that followed.

" _Sucked out?_ " Stefan asked incredulously.

"Like a snake bite?"

"Yeah. I wasn't really aware during it, but I guess it was like that," I offered.

All I could really remember was a haze of fire and pain, although the pain was infinitely more vivid. I shuddered at the memory of it.

"Well, I'm gonna head home. Vampire snakes is kind of where I draw the line. Besides, it's gotten kind of late and with everything that's happened, my mom's probably worried," the blonde announced.

"I think I will too," Bonnie spoke up. "We've all been through a lot tonight, especially Bella. I'm sure she's exhausted," she added, smiling at me.

I still didn't trust her, but I was grateful that they seemed to be willing to take a break from their interrogation. There was still so much to be said and I wasn't sure how much more I could reveal about my experience with vampires.

Something told me that Damon wouldn't stop pressuring me until I had spilled all my secrets. I just hoped there would still be something left of me when he succeeded.

I watched silently as they filtered out the front door, leaving Damon, Stefan, Elena, and I alone. They had offered me a place to stay tonight, but now that everyone had left, I realized how little I had. I had no way of getting home and even if I did, what would be the point?

Although I still didn't know why I had been taken, I wasn't naive enough to think the threat went away with Jonas and Luka. There had to be someone out there who knew and I had no doubt that they would come for me. Going home would only put Charlie in danger. Whether I liked it or not, I had to trust these people.

I followed Elena and Stefan as they showed me to a guestroom that was larger and more lavishly decorated than my own at Charlie's. Elena left for a few minutes and Stefan used the time to show me the bathroom down the hall. When she returned, she had a pile of clothes in her hands.

"I usually keep some of my stuff here. I figured you could use some clean clothes," Elena smiled, presenting me with the small pile.

I almost insisted that I was fine, but a quick glance at my tattered and dirty clothes proved that I really wasn't. I didn't want to ruin the luxurious bedding, so I accepted her offer with a timid smile. After assuring me that they would be just down the hall if I needed anything, they closed the door behind them, leaving me alone for the first time since we had met.

I breathed a sigh, suddenly consumed with a surprising feeling of relief. I supposed their constant stares had begun to weigh on me and now that I was free from that, I could finally relax. Of course, Damon and Stefan could probably hear every slight breath I took, but I pushed those thoughts aside.

I stood there, staring at the bed longingly, wondering if I should postpone my shower until the morning. Now that most of the tension was gone, I had become further exhausted, dying to slip underneath those sheets and sleep. It had been days since I slept on something besides that basement floor, which despite my granted freedom of roaming Jonas's house, had remained my bed.

Every night had been restless, as I feared that once I fell asleep, I would awake to find my wrists bound in chains again, preventing any further escape attempts. My eyes stung at the forced wakefulness, and I sighed as I relented.

Quickly stepping out of my clothes—there wasn't a lock on the door—I slipped on a pair of pajamas Elena had loaned me. The bottoms were longer, but the tank top seemed to fit alright. They were simple and something I would actually wear.

Peeling back the covers, I slowly slid in, relishing the cool sheets against my skin. It almost felt like I was lying on a bed of feathers after having slept on cement. With a quiet sigh, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

...

The forest's claws reached toward me, its grasp unkind. His back remained turned even as my blood slipped out of the points of contact.

"And Alice?"

The question came out garbled, drowning in a mouth full. I swept the back of my hand across my chin and stared down at the liquid.

More blood.

_No. They're all gone. I stayed behind to watch you die._

I could feel it. My bones shattering one by one—violence distributed by delicate fingers. Precision.

_A clean break would be better for you._

He didn't turn. The blood in my mouth drowned out the screaming.

...

"You're loud enough to wake the dead."

I stared blearily around the room, barely able to make out his form in the darkness. My breathing came in rushed pants as I tried to recover from my nightmare. It took a moment for me to calm down enough to speak. I meant to ask him what he was doing in my room, when I was interrupted as the door swung open.

The light flicked on, revealing a rumpled Stefan and Elena.

"See?" Damon continued, rolling his eyes.

"Bella! Are you okay?" Elena asked, rushing to the bed.

It felt odd to have her grasp my hand, trying to comfort me.

"Damon! What did you do? I told you to leave her alone!" Stefan demanded, moving closer to him.

He almost looked ready to deck him—adding another weird thing to the list of strange reactions. What was _with_ these people?

"He didn't do anything," I mumbled, trying to regulate my breathing. "I had a nightmare," I explained. "I'm sorry I woke you."

Elena sighed with relief, but Stefan remained dubious.

"Then what is Damon doing in here?"

I glanced at Damon, who appeared unperturbed by his brother's suspicion. They seemed to have a unique relationship, nothing like those among the Cullens. I wondered if they were even really brothers, or if they just called themselves that. I was leaning toward the former. They certainly argued like siblings.

"Comforting her, of course," Damon smirked.

Although I didn't know him very well, even I could tell he was lying. He had put almost no effort into pretending his presence here was something so noble.

"Really?" Elena asked incredulously, obviously seeing through his lie too.

I glanced at Damon again, noting the challenge in his gaze. He thought I would rat him out. I didn't know why he was in here when I woke up, but I found I was almost _unwilling_ to be bested by him. Did he think I was afraid to be alone with him?

I shrugged at Elena in response, silently accepting his challenge. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Damon's eyebrow lift. I guess he wasn't expecting me to play along.

Stefan stared at me for a beat longer, before coming to some sort of decision.

"Well, Elena and I will be down the hall if you need us," he offered for the second time tonight. He shot a look over at Damon, who rolled his eyes in response.

"Uh...thanks," I smiled awkwardly, willing them to leave.

Elena left the door cracked open as she left, a silent suggestion that Damon should follow. They locked eyes for a moment, before Elena huffed and walked off. I didn't know what was going on between those two and I didn't ask.

"So. Who's Edward?"

I visibly flinched at his name and my breath hitched. Of all the things I expected to hear Damon say, _his_ name was not among them.

"N-No one."

...


End file.
